Jigfishn10

Yep, I loosen the spool tension knob and the drag after every season's cleanout. Can't tell you how many time I reared back and let it loose on my first cast of the season and spiderwebbed or lost a fish on a hook set...LOL...I'm dumb more often than not every spring.

Raul was just pointing out that you need to follow the forage and behavior patterns of your lake.

Contact Dave Osani @ orsanifish@aol.com. Super nice guy. I went out with him the last tme I was down there. I'm sure he could help you out.

Good luck out there guys...be sure to post some pics!

R U Gettn stoked?

If you were using the jig on a slow presentation and got nothing out of it I would go to something different as you mention. Having 2 rods rigged is the way to go if you can do it. A lot of times the follow up needs to be done right after the blow up. Sometimes I get lazy and cast my spinnerbait out again after the blow up and get lucky, but I really don't like doing that. I have a lot more confidence with a completely different slow presentation follow up lure. Other thing you can do is kill the spinnerbait or swim jig right after the blow up. A lot of times the bass will circle the wagons and come back to nail it. IMO, I think the initial hit on the bait is to "stun" the prey only to come back for the feedbag.

Did you set the hook too late? It doesn't take long to spit out jig or spinnerbait. If you think the fish took the lure, swing away. IMHO, you had the right color and/or presentation working if, in fact, you know the fish took the lure. No need to waste time in changing colors. Now, if the fish blows up on a fast moving lure as you mentioned, try a slow presentation type lure as a follow up, something like a worm, or use your jig and hop it or drag it. Up here, my follow up lure that's been working aces has been a tube. JMHO, hope this helps and good luck on your next outing.

I only broke that magic number twice here in MA and both were on my hand made lures: Spinnerbait and Jig.

HookSet, it would be a lot easier to answer your questions if you reveal the mold model # or you can go right to Do-It's website and get the info (I'm assuming it was the Do-It mold from your last thread). Please don't be offended, we're trying to help you. If you feel more comfortable, you can PM either cadman (I'm assuming that's okay with you cadman) or me with the mold model number. We can also get you the correct info on the hook sizes you inquired about on an earlier thread.

No shad here either, and you posted a great question. I basically find that I have to go back to a spring pattern. I look for whatever weeds are left, points, creeks, channels and from the second weedline on in (here anyway and depending the time of day and conditions) and anywhere adjacent to deeper water. Hope this helps.

That was awesome that you took those folks out for a day of fishing. Sounds like you all still had a great day. Great story island, congrats to you all.

Great story island...that'll teach you to re-tie...LOL Sorry you missed that nice one, Man.

There's a lot of great advice on here and I appreciate all who have posted. I haven't fished tubes since the late 90's early 2000's, my apologies to all for the newb thread... B-Dozer, I got back into fishing these again this year because a member on here lost a bet during the Bruins & Flyers playoff series. He included a few of his favorite tubes with the lure that I won. I can't for the life of me figure out why I strayed from them, but now I'm hooked on them again. My son too! You saw his first fish this year I posted on the My Fishing Trip Forum? "Dad, that tube and jigs, are def my favorite lure."...LOL...Gotta love kids. A-Jay, I had forgotten about those parasite clips and sinker. I know we had a discussion about them and I totally forgot. I'm 45 and must have had a senior moment. Thanks Bud for the reminder, I will be putting an order for them soon. Bass Thumb, you can be sure I'll be doing some research this winter for my 2012 stock list...LOL basshunter81, going to get some later tonight, thanks! Jig Man, I'll be giving that technique a whirl as well. JacobK, if you still want that pic after reading all the great advice given above, I certainly don't mind posting it for you. It worked great for a dummy like me and it's real easy to rig. Just let me know.

That's the helicopter retrieve nitro is talking about and what was been posted earlier...killer around structure as well as a early and late season technique when baitfish start to die. Glad you hooked into one today.

I've been having problems with tubes getting fatigued at the tip too easily causing the tube to slide down the hook. Today I experimented with a new rigging method I read about and thought I would share it because it worked really well. I used and offset 4/0 widegap hook and took 2 pieces of line and tied them to the line lie of the hook with improved clinch knots. I cut the tag ends (4 total) to a little less than 1/2". I tied the hook onto the main line with the main line tied between the 2 knots and cut a the tag end to the same size as the others. I rigged my tube as you normally would on a T-Rig, slid the nose of the tube up and over the now 3 knots. What I got was a nice mesh of tag lines underneath the tube at the tip. I fished matted weeds and lilly pads and never had it slip down the hook shank. The only time it would slide down was when I caught fish. I hope this helps and if anyone has a better method for T-Rigging tubes, please post. I would be very interested. Happy tubing and tight lines.

Thank you islandbass, much appreciative.

BUT YOU ARE SOUNDING THAT WAY! I'm neither sensitve nor insensitive about the issue. I've been fishing for 15 years and will continue to do so. My purpose of the thread was to get some opinions of the effects of the flesh wounds I'm inflicting. To be honest with you, I am in SirSnookalot's camp on the issue. Some members answered the question and appear to share the same opinion I have prior to this thread and others offered opinions on how to minimize the problem and I appreciated that. If you don't care, don't participate in threads such as these. Your wise @$$ remarks I have read in the past used to be funny.

Would like to do it as well, but I think I will be doing it with a select group next year. Thanks Shane J, congrats, you really deserved it.

I agree about the big Colorado bladed spinnerbait. I actually use a single colorado blade more than any other combo. I think if you do go that route try not to make too many repeated casts, I find a colorado bladed spinnerbait will turn off fish faster than any other combinations. Have a follow up lure ready and also try and use a helicopter technique near those laydowns and/or other structure. MHO of course.

Not to go against the grain, because there are some good ideas here, but to me it doesn't sound like the bass are drawn to reaction type lures. You do have murky water conditions, how about a dark colored jig with a rattle?

Assuming you are solely fishing for a topwater bite and not knowing where or what conditions you have presented to you, you can try few different things: Changing the retrieve up i.e. from a steady retrieve to a stop & go, slow to fast, fast to slow or maybe just a slight twitch of your rod tip to create a little more water disturbance Switching to a lure which would be more stationary like a popper and use hard and/or soft pops Switching to a lure which would be a little more subtle on the surface like a dog walking lure Switching to a lure that would be between the 2 extremes like a prop bait. How about a buzzbait or plastic frog? These are just a few things that come immediately to mind and I hope this helps. EDIT: Oops, bigbassctchr101 you beat me to some points on your first sentence...LOL...Sorry bud...We must have posted within seconds of each other.

The 3" Pop R weighs 1/8 oz in that kit? Doesn't seem right, I would guess more like 3/8 - 1/2 oz, the 2 1/2" one weighs 1/4 oz.. EDIT: I just looked up the kit and you guys are right, it's the 2" teeny Pop R that is included in that kit and weighs 1/8 oz. I had looked at post #5 and LWD said it was a 3" Pop R which threw me off a bit. My apologies for the confusion.

Did you want the DVD or the crank? J/K...LOL Congrats and enjoy!

I did the same thing islandbass did. I had a rod in which I liked, but hated the feel of it in my hand, so I split the grip on it. As islandbass mentions, removing the cork and epoxy was pretty time consuming, so I took my time with it and prepared it well enough so I could put the fishnet pattern on. I did this a few years ago and took a pic of it when it was done, but I lost the pic when my hard drive went. I should have cleaned the cork up before taking this pic...LOL If you do decide to split a grip on your baitcaster, be sure to post it over in the tacklemaking forum. Good luck!

All look sweet BIG M.